Mail-order bike trilemma

ketsbaia

Posted this on the what bike thread but it looks like new thread seems to be the way to go here.

I'm looking to buy something that will make it marginally easier to haul myself over the cols of the Marmotte this July and have a budget of around £2.5k. Been looking into either a Planet X with Dura Ace on it or a Focus Izalco Pro 2 - yes, the old Planet X v Focus dilemma.

I'd kind of come down on the side of the Focus (although the Fulcrum 5 wheels put me off a bit), but then a wild card came along in the shape of Ribble's Sportive Racing. I specced up their frame with the lovely Campag Super Record 11 groupset and some light if fairly boring Mavic Ksyrium Elite 09 wheels and, from what I can work out, the weight comes in at just under 6kg, which is ludicrously light for a bike that comes in at just over my budget.

Anything I should be particularly aware of about any of the above choices? The obvious drawback with all of them is that I can't just go and try them out, but the flipside is I don't really want to go and buy an off the peg model I can try that will be a good couple of kilos heavier or with less impressive spec. Or both.

Or is it simply just a case of sticking the names in a hat?

cougie

Both good bikes. Do you need Dura Ace though ? You wont notice it if you went down to Ultegra apart from having more money in your pocket.

What do you ride now ?

Ribble are also good but their leadtimes usually work out longer than they tell you - thats my experience anyway.

ketsbaia

Currently riding a 10-year-old alu framed Peugeot with Centaur/Veloce groupset and Race X Lite wheels. So yes, Ultegra on any of those frames would be a significant step up.

That's a fair point, actually. Is there a dramatic difference between the new Ultegra groupset and Dura Ace? Or Super Record? My reasoning is, if I can get a top of the range groupset within budget, then I should. Right? I guess the drawback is buying replacement components.

ajb72

Never ridden the planet X or Focus, so cannot really comment there. I do own a Ribble Sportive though and can vouch for the ride and build quality, and they are unbelievable light frames for the money.

I'm not sure I would spec it with a mega groupest though, I have just fitted Chorus 11 speed to mine which is just a few grammes heavier and Super record, but several hundred pounds less. You could then upgrade to even better wheels and save a few more grammes there whare it really helps?

markos1963

ketsbaia wrote:

Currently riding a 10-year-old alu framed Peugeot with Centaur/Veloce groupset and Race X Lite wheels. So yes, Ultegra on any of those frames would be a significant step up.

That's a fair point, actually. Is there a dramatic difference between the new Ultegra groupset and Dura Ace? Or Super Record? My reasoning is, if I can get a top of the range groupset within budget, then I should. Right? I guess the drawback is buying replacement components.

Any of your mentioned bikes should be ok and if you are confident of your fit requirements then go for it. If it was my money(its always easy to spend other peoples money isn't it?) I would go with Ultegra 6700 or Sram Force(even lighter and nearer to DA) and then spend the money on even better wheels, you'll get bigger performance gains that way.

ketsbaia

Interesting.

With that in mind, say I went down the route of Ultegra, what wheels should I plump for? The currently specced ones on the Ribble are Mavic Ksyrium Elite 09, which weigh in at a sprightly 1550 grams the pair.

I'd have thought I'd have to spend way more to get a saving of just a couple of hundred grams.

APIII

If you're going down the Ribble/Campag route, I would also be tempted to go for Chorus rather than super record and get two cassettes, a 12-27 for the Marmotte, and one you'd use for everyday, and spend the rest on better wheels (Ksyrium SL, Shamal, Racing zero).

markos1963

ketsbaia wrote:

Interesting.

With that in mind, say I went down the route of Ultegra, what wheels should I plump for? The currently specced ones on the Ribble are Mavic Ksyrium Elite 09, which weigh in at a sprightly 1550 grams the pair.

I'd have thought I'd have to spend way more to get a saving of just a couple of hundred grams.

I would spec your bike up with some cheap training wheels(Askium or similar) and keep your cash for some wheels from somewhere like this
http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/wheelprices.htm
He'll be able to get you some wheels built well under 1400grms for about £500 that would be suitable for Alpine climbs and you'll have something thats far more individual.

ajb72

the saving of taking Chorus over Super Record is around £600 - for this you could be looking at upgrading the wheels to Mavic R-Sys Premiums saving a coupe of hundred grams where it matters, and still leaving a few hundred left over for carbon bits - seatposts, stems etc!

What a nice headache to have!

ketsbaia

ajb72 wrote:

What a nice headache to have!

In theory, yes. In practice, I'm having to sell my flat to achieve it! I hasten to add that's not the only reason I'm selling it, mind.

E2a: Does anyone want to buy a flat?

cougie

2.5k is a lot of money for a bike. If you spend say £1500 on a bike and then rode that against a 2.5k bike - I reckon you'd be hard pushed to tell the difference, its diminishing returns over a grand or so.

I think it was the Planet X team themselves who said their team just used Ultegra - as they didnt notice the difference in performance, and saved a bucket on their kit - so if its good enough for the pros - its good enough for us mere mortals.

You can buy the PX Ultegra for 1149 ?

I'd buy that and then some PX 50mm Carbon tubular wheels for your big events.

Save the 900 for some weekends away in the alps or somewhere getting the training miles in. Heck - thats a weeks training camp isnt it ? That would help you a whole lot more than the next groupset up.

ketsbaia

Thanks for all this advice, btw. All very useful.

ketsbaia

markos1963 wrote:

I would spec your bike up with some cheap training wheels(Askium or similar) and keep your cash for some wheels from somewhere like this
http://www.wheelsmith.co.uk/wheelprices.htm
He'll be able to get you some wheels built well under 1400grms for about £500 that would be suitable for Alpine climbs and you'll have something thats far more individual.

That is a really good idea. Cheers.

gabriel959

If you are going to spend that money on a bike buy a good frame. I would avoid the Ribble and Planet X myself at that pricepoint.

EKIMIKE

I'd say the 2k mark is where you go from an extremely nice functional bike with plenty of bling TO the sort of stuff that's extremely expensive and gives no more than very marginal gains in very marginal (racing) situations.

EG
Like others have said Chorus vs Super Record. £400 difference or therebout. Funtional gains, probably less than 5%
Weight saving, minimal but the only clear obvious difference.

Unless you're racing the Marmotte at some serious speed, you're never going to notice the difference between Chorus and Super Record. Spending £100 more on wheels is likely to give you more than 3 times the gains as £400 on a more expensive groupset.

You can get a VERY good bike for £2000.

ketsbaia

gabriel959 wrote:

If you are going to spend that money on a bike buy a good frame. I would avoid the Ribble and Planet X myself at that pricepoint.

Really? What's up with them?

EKIMIKE

I don't think anything is up with them.

To be honest I guess Super Record and Dura Ace are above the spec of Ribble and Planet X.

Saying that, 99% of complete bikes built around high end frames are paired with comparably lower spec kit.

Depends on what you want. Some think the frame is most important. Others will compromis on frame for better components.

General concensus in the bike retail sector favours better frame with lesser components. I mean when have you seen a Specialized Allez with Ultegra or Dura Ace on it? Simply doesn't sell as well as a Tarmac with 105.

gabriel959

ketsbaia wrote:

gabriel959 wrote:

If you are going to spend that money on a bike buy a good frame. I would avoid the Ribble and Planet X myself at that pricepoint.

Really? What's up with them?

Nothing wrong with the Planet X Pro Carbon SL or Ribble frames but I would put a quality Orbea, Linksey, Argon, etc frame above it.

A good choice for the money is the Lynksey Planet X Ti frame for about £700. That is what I would probably buy, and if you prefer carbon there are plenty of options of good frames for £999 and under.

richa

Why mail order? You're spending £2,500. Go take it for a spin.

ketsbaia

RichA wrote:

Why mail order? You're spending £2,500. Go take it for a spin.

You seem to be able to get more for your moolah by mail order.